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Obi Ezekoye

Helps companies in the global energy and materials sectors build strategies, deals, and products that fuel value creation

Obi is a Partner in our Minneapolis office and a leader in our global energy and materials work. Since joining McKinsey in 2010, he has served organizations across various industry sectors including chemicals, basic materials, and advanced industrials.

Obi advises clients on topics related to strategy, corporate finance, and corporate function design. An expert on mergers and acquisitions, integrations, and divestitures at scale, Obi regularly partners with industry clients, as well as private equity firms and investors, to manage and grow their portfolios.

Obi is a core leader of McKinsey’s Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice, M&A Practice, and Chemicals Practice.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • supporting the central integration and synergy identification team of a multi-billion-dollar merger in the energy and materials sector
  • identifying the optimal corporate structure and performance targets for a global industrial client undergoing a major transformation
  • supporting both strategy development and implementation of a multi-billion-dollar separation in the chemicals space
  • building long-term strategic roadmaps (including board syndication) for a variety of mid-size industrial companies
  • conducting a rapid strategic portfolio review for the top team of a global industrial company

Prior to joining McKinsey, Obi worked as a researcher at the University of Michigan. During his graduate studies, Obi authored several peer-reviewed publications and presented at several international research conferences, seminars, and symposiums in the areas of ceramics, nanotechnology, fuel cells, catalysts, thin films, and materials characterization. Outside of work, Obi enjoys playing guitar, fitness, and spending time with his wife and three young children.

Published work

Chemicals: Success through timely, tailored action,” McKinsey & Company, February 2024

Chemicals and capital markets: Regional differentiation,” McKinsey & Company, September 2023

Chemicals and capital markets: Growing sustainably,” McKinsey & Company, April 2022

Agile business portfolio management,” McKinsey & Company, October 2021

Chemicals and capital markets: Refocusing on the fundamentals,” McKinsey & Company, December 2020

Divesting with agility,” McKinsey & Company, November 2020

The state of the chemical industry—it is getting more complex,” McKinsey & Company, November 2020

Chemicals in capital markets: Temporary setbacks or new disruptive trends?" McKinsey & Company, November 2019

Resilience in chemicals: How to prepare for the next downturn,” McKinsey & Company, November 2019

Chemicals and capital markets: Searching for a way back to the winner’s podium,” McKinsey & Company, November 2019

A case for restructuring before spin-off,” McKinsey & Company, July 2019

Going, going, gone: A quicker way to divest assets,” McKinsey & Company, August 2018

Chemicals and capital markets: Back at the top,” McKinsey & Company, May 2018

Understanding how US tax reform will affect divestitures,” McKinsey & Company, April 2018

Chemicals 2025: Will the industry be dancing to a very different tune?” McKinsey & Company, March 2017

How share repurchases boost earnings without improving returns,” McKinsey & Company, April 2016

Chemicals and capital markets: Still going strong,” McKinsey & Company, July 2015

Education

University of Michigan
PhD, materials science and engineering

Penn State University
MS, engineering science
BS, materials science and engineering